Are you ready for the new Food Waste Regulations?

Posted on March 16th 2026 by Hannah Clark.

From 31 March 2026, councils will roll out a scheme to all households in England where food waste must be separated from general waste. This is a legal requirement following the ‘Simpler Recycling’ regulations, created by the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs.

This legislation is something all households will need to comply with. Weekly collection of this food waste will involve taking the food waste to Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plants. Here, it will be turned into renewable energy.

Here at Workplace Products, we want to make sure you are up to date on the mandatory food waste separation process. Plus, we answer your frequently asked questions to understand its environmental benefits.

How does it work? 🤷🏼

Local councils will now be giving each household its own 5-7 litre indoor kitchen caddy and 23 litre outdoor collection caddy free of charge. Some councils may also provide a roll of compostable bags, ideal for lining your bin.

Following these regulations is simple. Councils will provide each household with an indoor kitchen caddy that you can place inside your house. Line the bin with either compostable bags or newspaper, minimising the mess from leftover food. Don’t worry, these bins have lockable lids, ensuring smells do not escape into your kitchen, and stops pests and pets from getting access.

Once full, these bags can be tied and moved into the larger outdoor collection. These will be collected on a weekly basis. With the outdoor bins able to hold up to 23 litres, you can transfer your indoor kitchen caddy contents every day.

While keeping food waste in a separate kitchen bin may feel a bit gross at first, it is highly helpful. Keeping food waste out of your kitchen bin means it will not fill up as fast. This saves space in your outdoor general waste bin, ideal for those households where councils have also changed general waste collection to every other week.

What is the point in collecting food waste? ♻️

💚 Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
When food waste goes to a landfill site, it gets buried among other rubbish. With no access to oxygen, it produces methane as it rots. This is a dangerous greenhouse gas, up to 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

💚 Reduce household waste
Setting up these organic waste systems makes households realise how much food they are wasting daily. This can encourage a more mindful mindset toward food shopping habits, which may help you save money.

💚 Disposal of general waste efficiently
As food waste is 70% water, it is hard to burn in the standard incinerators with other materials. By removing food waste, other materials can be disposed of more efficiently.

💚 Create renewable energy
The food waste collected is taken to Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plants, where they are broken down into usable products. Biogas is a renewable fuel source which can heat homes and generate green electricity. A single caddy’s worth of wasted food can power a home for almost a year, making it a crucial power source that we need to utilise. The leftover ‘digestate’ can then be taken to local farms and used as a nutrient-rich biofertilizer.

Answering your questions about the regulations 💭

What food can I put in the food waste bins?

🌽 All leftover food scraps
🍖 Bones, skin and fat from meat and fish
🥚 Eggshells
🍎 Fruit and vegetable peelings, pits and apple cores
🍞 Mouldy bread and other baked goods
🐶 Pet food
☕️ Tea bags and coffee grounds

Items that should not be put in this bin include liquids, the packaging on the food items, and pet waste.

Why is this scheme happening now?

This scheme is happening in England after years of legislation planning. 30% of general waste in England is food. Therefore, recycling it separately can help to reach net-zero targets.

Reusing food waste has been in place across Wales for over a decade. In fact, following these regulations has helped Wales to become the 2nd best country in the world for recycling, just behind Austria.

Where do I put my small kitchen caddy?

The small kitchen caddy features a sealable lid, ensuring no smells can escape the bin. Therefore, putting this bin on a windowsill or by your current general waste bin may be a great idea. For a more hidden location, under your sink may be ideal.

For households that fill their small kitchen caddy quickly, why not consider opting for our 50L Wheelie Bin? Ideal for placing outdoors, they can house additional food waste in a convenient location.

Can I get free food waste bags when mine run out?

Depending on your area, depends on whether your council will provide free bags. Some councils will encourage you to tie your last bin liner to the handle of your caddy, and bin men will leave you a free new roll. Other councils will either expect you to purchase bags from the outset or provide a free first roll. To check your local council’s policy, explore their Waste and Recycling webpage.

When bags run out, newspaper can also be used to line bins, or food can be placed in them as it is. However, doing this will require more regular cleaning. Do not use regular plastic shopping bags to collect food waste if you run out. According to Brighton and Hove City Council, this can contaminate the food waste that you are providing.

Do these rules also apply to apartment buildings?

Absolutely! Each flat will receive its own small indoor kitchen caddy. The only difference is that the contents will need to be moved to a large communal food waste bin in their communal bin room.

When is this scheme rolling out in my local area?

Whilst councils will now begin to drop off caddy’s, some of them do not plan to begin collecting food waste on a weekly basis until further into 2026. To find out when your council will begin collecting so you can start, type your postcode into the ‘Find Your Rubbish Collection Day‘ webpage.

Ready for the change?

Here at Workplace Products, we pride ourselves on supporting sustainable practices. That is why we offer a wide selection of recycling and waste products, designed to assist with these changes. Our range of recycling bins can help to set up recycling habits within the workplace and communal areas, including paper and plastic.

If you have any questions about our range of wheelie bins, contact our sales team today. They are available Monday to Friday over the phone, email or live chat.